Update (06. Jul, 7:11 AM): Looks like this isn’t official yet, as Hasek has not actually signed the contract. He’s agreed to it, however, and is expected to make it official today, though Holland still sounds somewhat tentative.

Also, if Winter’s comment below is a joke, it’s a bad one, as all media reports on the topic of the negotiations with the Wings’ UFAs (such as this one) had Holland bemoaning the fact that they all were making demands for higher salaries than the team was prepared to pay. That includes Hasek. So, excuse me if I don’t find Winter’s “joke” funny. – Matt

The Detroit News reports that Dominik Hasek has finally signed a contract extension: one-year, with a base salary in the $2 million range, with around another $2 million in playoff-related bonuses. How about this quote by Dom’s agent, Ritch Winter:

“We’ve settled. Dominik wanted to give the team room to have money under the salary cap. Let’s face it, he’s a $5 million-a-year goalie. We all know that. But I managed to talk them down to $2 million. It was a unique negotiation.”

So that’s how it when, eh? The Wings wanted to use up most of their remaining cap space on Dom rather than on filling another need, but Winter, out of the goodness of his heart, managed to dissuade them from that course of action by dragging negotiations out until they agreed to pay less? And here all this time I and everyone else in Hockeytown thought it was the other way around. Thanks for setting the record straight, Mr. Winter. Too bad you couldn’t convince the Wings to agree to these terms before the best options for a top-six forward signed with other teams. Ugh.

Welcome back, Dom, but that whole “I expect a raise” thing was not cool. You should have just taken a contract like last year’s right off the bat and given the team the cap space to go after a solid top-sixer. I’d think that you’d be bigger on winning than on money at this stage of your career.

Why the hostility towards Burke? He did an amazing job building Anaheim into a Cup winner. Bertuzzi was bound to be overpaid by someone out there, and Schneider wanted to be in California anyways. Mirtle has a good post on Burke:http://mirtle.blogspot.com/2007/06/burke-deserves…

I think it's just going a little far to be trying to manufacture Anaheim into an Avalanche-like rivalry at this point, and billing Burke as evil like you've done…I found it interesting that you chose "screw-Burke" rather than "screw Anaheim." The latter wouldn't have bothered me, but I've always enjoyed reading Burke's quotes and appreciate his skills as a GM so I was taken aback by that.

Well, Burke may be one of the shrewdest GMs in hockey and may deserve a lot of credit for that, but he's still a jackass and a poster-boy for the more goonish style of hockey. The Ducks are a team made in his image and were one of the dirtier teams I remember watching since I've been a fan, even with all their skill. Anaheim IS Burke, so saying "screw Burke" is the same as saying "screw Anaheim."

Maybe it is a bit much to try to fit the Ducks into the Avs' mold, but I don't think it's too far off base to predict more animosity between the two teams this season, given how things went in the Finals. Especially given Burke's apparent dislike of the Wings, a feeling which, if you like his quotes so much, you can't deny he has.

We could pull an Edmonton and try to steal RFA Dustin Penner from Anaheim. Just kidding. Burke has said he’ll match any offer, but I believe they only have a couple million left under the cap, though I’m probably wrong. Holland wouldn’t do that, would he?

Seriously, though, I don’t know who would be best for the Wings, out of those that are still out there. I’m guessing it’ll be someone we don’t expect and know little about. Or no one at all, which wouldn’t be such a bad thing, given the Wings’ young offensive talent.

Especially given Burkeâ€™s apparent dislike of the Wings, a feeling which, if you like his quotes so much, you canâ€™t deny he has.

The entire league dislikes the Wings, so it’s not something that bothers me or is unique to Burke at all. He’s a stand-up guy, and does things his own way. I really don’t like him that much, I just don’t see a reason to be singling him out. When there are guys like Chris Pronger that are better and more worthy targets.

Anaheim IS Burke, so saying â€œscrew Burkeâ€ is the same as saying â€œscrew Anaheim.â€

I suppose, but it’s not like you’d say “screw you, David Poile” when talking about the Predators’ goon tactics (Tootoo & Co.). I guess it comes with the territory of being a high profile GM to get that target on your back though…

I don’t think Matt was singling Burke out, it’s just that he’s a tall guy and Burke is shorter and… it’s just a matter of physics really, I don’t believe there was any intent to cause any injury to Burke’s feelings at all…

I HATE Brian Burke. In fact, he’s one of the reasons I hate the Ducks. Among the reasons I hate him is how overrated he is as a GM. Most of the pieces were already in place in Anaheim. All he really did was add Scott Niedermayer – who went there to play with his brother – and Chris Pronger – who just wanted to go to a better climate. Quite frankly, it doesn’t take a genius to realize adding those two guys would help make your team a Cup contender. Burke gets way too much credit for the things he does. If he’s so good, how come he couldn’t do anything but build a team of chokers in Vancouver?

I also agree with Matt on Burke being a goon. It’s no coincidence that Anaheim turned into a goon team after he joined them. Led the league in fighting majors, and it wasn’t even close. He’s a jackass too, and he seems to have a strong dislike of anyone not Canadian with only the occasional exception. I remember in the playoffs some commentators mentioned that Burke told Pahlsson that he played like a Canadian (because of his gritty, checking style). The commentators said Pahlsson should feel complimented. If you ask me, Pahlsson should feel insulted.

Bottom line: Brian Burke is an overrated asshole.

On a less aggressive note, the Red Wings’s official website is finally overhauled!